Perception Tribe 11.5

The latest generation of Perception Tribe 11.5 comes with improved design and upgraded seating comfort, while keeping all the best features of this popular kayak. After extensive research on owners’ experience with this kayak, there’s only one complaint remaining about the kayak: the molded footrests. Considering its reasonable price and outstanding durability of the construction and material, everybody agrees – it’s no biggie.

Size and Weight

The Tribe is 11’5″ (348 cm) long with a beam of 30.25″ (77 cm) and 16″ (41 cm) deck height. Considering the length, it is a lightweight boat of 52 lbs (24 kg), that you can load and unload relatively easily. Provided you have a roomy garage and car rooftop racks, you’re good to go.

The Perception Tribe 11.5 comes with a decent weight capacity of 350 lbs (159 kg) and bungee rigged compartments for stowing your gear and accessories. Unlike some of the other similar-sized kayaks such as the Perception Access 11.5, the Tribe 11.5 has 50 lbs (22.7 kg) more storage capacity to accommodate gear for longer trips. Plus, it weighs less.

Materials

Perception makes their kayaks from a proprietary High-Density Polyethylene material using the company-specific, one-piece rotational molding technology. The process involves pouring beads of polyethylene into the mold, which gets heated up and slowly rotated so that the material fills up every nook and cranny. After the mold cools down, you get a one-piece, leak-proof construction that is extremely rugged and durable.

Features

The Perception Tribe 11.5 is a recreational boat and belongs to the group of low-budget kayaks, intended for beginner and intermediate paddlers. Thus, we cannot expect anything fancy in this section, but some features may surprise you.

In the front and rear, the Tribe 11.5 comes with toggle handles and two sturdy, one-piece carry handles on the cockpit gunnels. It is recommended to strap the kayak onto the molded handles for safe transportation.

Storage-wise, this boat comes with large, bungee-secured bow and stern tank wells that can carry your cooler, sports gear, and supplies. A small center storage hatch with a neoprene cover is located in front of the seat and includes a cat bag. It’s handy for stowing your personal valuables while paddling. Although it is considered dry storage, Perception advises kayakers to pack all essential and water-sensitive items into dry bags. There’s a molded recess in the bow tank well where you can easily install another dry hatch if you want to.

Perception didn’t upgrade the four-position molded footwells. The good news is that the cockpit is spacious enough to stand up and move around.

The integrated center console features a molded-in cup holder and a recess designed for a 1.5″ Solo Mount Base where you can attach the gear you need.

The most significant change with the 2020 Tribe 119.5 model is the seat. It now comes with a framed seatback that you can recline for more personalized comfort or setting it more upright at the best back support angle for paddling. The thick, ventilated seat base provides decent comfort for longer journeys.

Perception Tribe 11.5 includes four scuppers in the cockpit and two in the rear tank well that help with draining the water out of the kayak. No scuppers are positioned directly under the seat, so unless you’re taking the boat out on a cold day, you don’t necessarily need scupper plugs.

Lastly, the kayak includes a replaceable sacrificial keel which offers high protection while portaging.

Performance

The Perception Tribe 11.5 offers remarkable stability that allows on-deck standability and maneuverability. Its curved, relatively narrow hull smoothly cuts the water enabling the kayak to perform well even on fast-moving rivers and rapids.

The boat’s versatility comes from the slight rocker, which enables the Tribe to turn quite effectively, improving your experience on the water. Another performance booster is the pronounced keel at the bottom, which allows the kayak to track very well.

Perception’s Tribe 11.5 does not have adjustable footrests or paddle holders. Still, for the price point, it offers excellent efficiency in various waters while being fun and playful for a recreational kayak.

Warranty

Perception kayaks are warranted against material or manufacturing defects in the hull and deck for 5 years from the date of the original purchase of the kayak. Parts, accessories, and outfitting are warranted for one year.

To learn more about Perception Kayaks’ warranty terms and conditions, click here.